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(i) Societal abuse
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According to Gil (1971) much has been written on the role of the individual, familial,
social, economic and cultural precipitators of abuse. Much has been written on the
role played by societies in condoning and perpetuating the widespread abuse of
children through tacit acceptance ofpoverty, malnutrition, hunger, infant mortality and
preventable diseases. Children, especially poor children, have suffered the devastating
effects of social abuse for centuries, such as their exploitation through prostitution,
enslavement, child labour in factories, workhouses and chaingangs. Children have
been, still are, and will be abused in the home, in the school, in the workplace,
institutions, and child "care" facilities. The latter part of the twentieth century has seen
an increase in family violence, and a decrease in societally sanctioned abuse, or so it
appears. Gil (1971) states that the hysterical public reaction to individual cases of
abuse is merely a means of"scapegoating", whereby society divests itself of any blame,
and lays it at the door of individual families.
Lally (1984 : 249) discusses the role of economic and technological institutions as the
perpetrators ofsocietal abuse. Inflation, recession and unemployment, undermine the
individuals ability to care for his family, leaving him with a feeling of worthlessness.
Downward economic trends hit the poor the hardest. Social systems delegate most
people to inferior positions and expect them to compete successfully for the
ever-dirninishing rewards of success.
The influence of technology is felt even before the baby lets out his first cry. Medical
technology decides where the baby will be born, how and when, and as Lally (1984 :
249) says, they "fit nicely into time-and-efficiency-conscious planoflabour." The advent
of technology has made everything impersonal, objectified and given a price. Even
children are viewed in terms of the pay-off they can bring us. Those who do not
comply suffer the consequences.
Gil (1975 : 350) states that the basic values and philosophies of a society will
determine whether all individuals in that society will be able to develop fully and